Now, here is a familiar face making his way back to the Formula E paddock. The 32-year-old driver hailing from Birmingham, Jake Hughes, is set for a full-time return to the championship next season with Cupra Kiro. Previously, he competed in the all-electric series from 2023 to 2025, driving firstly with NEOM McLaren and later with Maserati.
During that initial stint, Hughes tasted the podium twice. The highlight arrived at the 2024 Shanghai E-Prix with NEOM McLaren, where he secured a second-place finish for his maiden podium in the championship. Another strong result followed at the 2025 Jeddah E-Prix, resulting in a third-place finish while sporting Maserati's iconic blue.
He brings a wealth of Formula E experience, but also a very valuable background in car development having worked closely with some of the leading teams in both Formula E and Formula 1.
Following his departure from the Maserati outfit at the end of the 2024/25 season, Hughes stayed close to the action. He served as a Reserve Driver for Mahindra Racing, kept busy with Test and Simulator Driver roles for McLaren in Formula 1, and even claimed a race win in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) alongside Algarve Pro Racing.
Now, his full-time return places him alongside Pepe Martí at Cupra Kiro for the 2026/27 campaign, which marks the dawn of the Gen4 era. This new generation of machinery brings staggering performance metrics. Capable of hitting speeds in excess of 335kph, the Gen4 car surges from 0-100kph in approximately 1.8 seconds and 0-200kph in just 4.4 seconds—making it 1.5 seconds faster than its predecessor. It delivers 50% more power in race mode than the current Gen3 Evo machine, while qualifying laps will average an incredible 10 seconds faster than the Gen3 car. When drivers deploy Attack Mode, the Gen4 produces up to 600kW of power, marking a 71% increase in base output over the Gen3 Evo and establishing itself as the only single-seater race car featuring permanent all-wheel drive.
Cupra Kiro Team Principal Russell O’Hagan is thrilled with the acquisition. “We’re very excited to welcome Jake to CUPRA KIRO for the coming season,” O’Hagan said. “He brings a wealth of Formula E experience, but also a very valuable background in car development having worked closely with some of the leading teams in both Formula E and Formula 1.”
For his part, Hughes is eager to sink his teeth into the new technology. “I’m over the moon to be joining CUPRA KIRO,” Hughes stated. “It feels like it’s been a long time coming. The team has built the foundations of something very special and hopefully, we can kick on and bring even more success.”
